Beavers to Host Cats Saturday Night

Saturday, November 19

Corvallis, Ore.

7:30 PM

Oregon State

Arizona

Tickets

Photo by: Karl Maasdam/Oregon State Athletics

November 15, 2016 | Football

Complete Game Notes

By: Oregon State Athletic Communications

THE SERIES/GAME FACTS
• Saturday's game is the 38th in the series that dates back to 1966.
• The Wildcats lead the overall series 22-14-1.
• The Beavers have won six of the last eight and 12 of the last 15 in the series.
• Oregon State won six in a row against Arizona from 1999-2004.
• Seven of the last nine games have been decided by 10 points or fewer.
• The teams have not met in Corvallis since 2011 where Arizona holds a 9-7-1 advantage.
• OSU won the last meeting at Reser Stadium 29-27, Oct. 8, 2011. Sean Mannion threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns and Jovan Stevenson rushed for 99 yards and a score.
• Oregon State has had 11 games in which a player rushed for 100+ yards against the Wildcats with the most recent coming in 2012 when Storm Woods rushed past the Cats for 161 yards on 29 carries and a score.
• The Beavers have had 300-yard passers six times against Arizona with the most recent coming in 2012 when Sean Mannion aired it out for 433 yards on 29-45 passing with three TDs in the win.
• OSU has had 12 100-yard receiving games against Arizona as well, with the most recent being in 2012 when Markus Wheaton caught 10 balls for 166 yards and two TDs, and Brandin Cooks made nine grabs for 149 yards.

300TH GAME IN RESER: This week's game against Arizona marks the 300th game in Reser (formerly Parker) Stadium. A crowd of 13,500 witnessed the Parker Stadium opener Nov. 14, 1953, a 7-0 victory over Washington State - the Beavers' two other home games that season were played in Portland.

IN THE RED ZONE: Oregon State ranks third in the Pac-12 in red zone efficiency having scored 25 out of 28 times (89.3 percent) in scoring position this year. On the other side of the ball, Arizona is eighth in the conference in red zone defense having allowed scores 43 times in 49 tries (87.8%). Further, the Wildcats are last in the league in red zone efficiency on offense have scored on just 23 of 31 attempts.

MAKING SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL: Oregon State will seek an advantage in the special teams game this week. OSU is the top-ranked team in the Pac-12 in kickoff returns, averaging 24.1 yards per return, while Arizona is ranked at the bottom of the conference in kickoff coverage.

THE KICKING GAME: The Beavers kicking game has become a unique form late in the season. Junior kicker Garrett Owens, who is a perfect 67-67 in his career on PATs was replaced in the field goal game but redshirt freshman Jordan Choukair last week at UCLA. Choukair hit his only try from 20 yards out. True freshman Adley Rutschman is OSU's kickoff specialist.

DREAM COME TRUE: Oregon State Athletics and Unitus Community Credit Union have teamed up to grant wishes each game. Through Unitus' Dreams Come True program, the Beavers will welcome a children facing serious illness to Reser Stadium for the ultimate fan experience every home game during the 2016 season. Recipients will be recognized on the video board during the game, receive tickets, pre-game sideline passes, a chance to interact with the players on game day, a football signed by the OSU football team and a personalized game jersey. To learn more about the Dream Come True program visit osubeavers.com/dreamcometrue.

TOUGH SLEDDING: Oregon State's schedule through 10 games ranks as the fourth-most difficult in the country per USA Today's Sagarin Rankings. The top 15 most difficult schedules features a who's who of the Pac-12 Conference with Arizona (3), Stanford (5), Oregon (7), USC (8), California (12) and UCLA (13).

ONLY THE BEAVS: Arkansas (7) is the only team in the nation to have played against more current Associated Press top 25 teams than Oregon State, which has faced six ranked teams (No. 4 Washington, No. 13 Utah, No. 16 Colorado, No. 23 Washington State and No. 24 Boise State).

ONE EYE IN THE REARVIEW, ONE ON THE ROAD: The combined record of OSU's seven Pac-12 opponents thus far in the season is 33-17 with a winning percentage of .660. The two remaining teams on the schedule are 1-13 having won at a clip of .071.

ZERO: That's the number of times OSU opponents have converted a first down on 3rd and more than 10 yards (0-20). Last year, opponents went 5-26 against the Beavers on 3rd and long.

CREATING HAVOC: The Oregon State defense has shown marked improvement creating big plays in 2016. The Beavers have created 18 turnovers (six interceptions & 12 fumble recoveries) through 10 games. In 2015, OSU caused just 12 turnovers (eight INTs & four fumble recoveries) all season.

TACKLING MACHINES: Senior LB Caleb Saulo is third in the conference with 8.0 tackles per game (10 games, 80 tackles) and junior LB Manase Hungalu ranks sixth at 7.1 (9, 64). If the duo continues the rest of the season it would be the first time since 2011 that the Beavers have had two players ranked among the top 10 in the Pac-12 Conference in tackles per game when LB Feti 'Unga was sixth with 7.4 (9, 67) and S Anthony Watkins was ninth with 7.1 (12, 85). Further, the Beavers have not had a player finish the season among the top three in the league in tackles since S Greg Laybourn led the league with 113 tackles in 13 games in 2008. It is also noteworthy that senior S Devin Chappell is tied for 11th in the conference with 6.6 tackles per game (10, 66).

MISSING IN ACTION: Every football team suffers injuries as the season wears on. For Oregon State 13 players that began the season as expected starters OR became starters due to injury have combined to miss 49 starts. Among the starters to miss at least one game are: OL Yanni Demogerontas (4), LB Titus Failauga (6), QB Darell Garretson (4), OL Sean Harlow (3), LB Manase Hungalu (1), CB Jay Irvine (6), OL Fred Lauina (2), RB Ryan Nall (2), TE Ricky Ortiz (1), LB Joah Robinett (4), TE Noah Togiai (8), LB Bright Ugwoegbu (1) and CB Dwayne Williams (7).

M.A.S.H. UNIT: With the injury bug once again biting the Oregon State football program, the Beavers were only able to suit up 63 players due to injury and illness, seven fewer than allowed for a visiting team per Pac-12 regulations, at Washington three weeks ago. Entering the game with the Huskies, OSU was missing players who had accounted for 74% of the team's total rushing yards and 91% of the team's total passing yards.

DONE FOR THE YEAR: The list of Beavers considered out for the season has grown to 13 including: OL Sam Curtius, S Jonas Dahl, QB Darell Garretson, CB Jaydon Grant, CB Jay Irvine, DL Thor Katoa, OL Bobby Keenan, S Landry Payne, LB Shemar Smith, TE Noah Togiai, TE Kenny Turnier, LB Bright Ugwoegbu and DE LaMone Williams. In addition, injuries and illness have prevented several others from playing through the first half of the season including: OL Gunnar Braden, CB Charles Okonkwo and OL Robert Olson.

TWO OF THE BEST: Starting wide receivers Victor Bolden Jr. and Jordan Villamin have been spending the season climbing Oregon State's career receiving yards records list. Currently Bolden Jr. moved up to 9th all-time at OSU with 1,849 receiving yards while Villamin is 17th with 1,363 yards. In addition, Bolden Jr. is sixth on OSU's all-time like with 167 career receptions.

MR. DO-IT-ALL: Victor Bolden Jr. has quietly moved up to third on Oregon State all-time career all-purpose yards list. Bolden Jr. has accounted for 5,132 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, punt return, kickoff return and interception return) trailing only OSU greats James Rodgers (2007-11) and Ken Simonton (1998-2001).

QUICK SIX: Senior Victor Bolden Jr. has been all over the field for the Beavers through four games - as a wide receiver, running jet sweeps and reverses, and returning punts and kickoffs. In 2016, Bolden Jr. has punished teams for failing to account for him resulting in big plays for the Beavers. Bolden Jr. is the only player in the NCAA with two plays of 90+ yards - 92-yard jet sweep (second-longest rushing play in OSU history) against Idaho State and a 99-yard kickoff return against Boise State. He now has four plays of 75 yards or more this year with a 75-yard touchdown run (at Washington) and a 75-yard touchdown reception (at Stanford).

AIMING FOR THE CYCLE: Senior do-everything player Victor Bolden Jr. is one of 15 players in the nation to have scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and as a kick returner in 2016. Bolden notched a receiving touchdown in the season-opener at Minnesota, had a 92-yard touchdown run against Idaho State in Week 2, and returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown against Boise State in Week 3. Others that have accomplished the feat are Antonio Callaway (Florida), Jarred Craft (Louisiana Tech), Keion Davis (Marshall), Carlos Henderson (New Mexico), Darrell Henderson (Memphis), Quadree Henderson (Pittsburgh), Adrian Killins (UCF), T.J. Logan (North Carolina), Tim McVey (Air Force), Joe Mixon (Oklahoma State), Charles Nelson (Oregon), Rashaad Penny (San Diego State), Tony Pollard (Memphis), John Ross (Washington) and Aregeros Turner (Northern Illinois).

VIC IS ON A STREAK: Victor Bolden Jr. is tied for 15th in the nation for receptions in consecutive games played. Bolden Jr. has caught at least one pass in 34 games in a row in which he's played. Only Nate Phillips (UA) with 43, River Cracraft (WSU) with 39, JuJu Smith-Schuster (USC) with 38 and Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) with 35 have longer streaks in the Pac-12. Robert Davis (Georgia State) leads the nation with receptions in 47 straight games.

FIRST ONE, NOW TWO: Entering the game against Washington State, Victor Bolden Jr. was the first OSU player with two rushes of 75 or more yards - 92 vs. Boise State & 75 at Washington) in the same season since Steven Jackson in 2002 (75 vs. Fresno State & 80 vs. UCLA). After gashing the Cougars for an 89-yard touchdown jaunt Ryan Nall has joined the fray. Nall ran 80 yards to paydirt against California as well.

BECOMING THE NORM: OSU has accumulated more first downs via the rush than the pass for the second straight season. The Beavers have converted 75 first downs on the ground versus 74 through the air. Prior to 2015 the last time Oregon State had finished a season with more first downs on the ground was 2000.

READY OR NOT: The OSU rushing attack through 10 games has been effective to the tune of 5.2 yards per carry (343 carries for 1,780 yards). That is a record-setting pace for a full season. The current record is 4.9 ypc (474 for 2,336) set in 1960. The Beavers have spread the rushing gains around as well with four different players exceeding 100 yards in a game – Ryan Nall, Victor Bolden Jr., Darell Garretson and Tim Cook.

THE WRECKING NALL: Earlier this season against Cal, sophomore running back Ryan Nall rushed for 221 yards on 14 carries, the 10th-best performance in school history. His former personal-best was 174 yards at Oregon in 2015. With 131 yards against Washington State, Nall has two 100-yard performances this year and four in his career. Nall averages 7.2 yards per carry in 2016 leading the Pac-12 and ranks 10th in the nation.

TRUE STUDENT-ATHLETES: Eleven Beavers either have or are on track to graduate by January. Juniors Kendall Hill, who was recently granted a sixth year of eligibility, graduated following summer term with a degree in human development and family sciences,and Garrett Owens, received his degree in sociology in the spring. In addition, Gavin Andrews (economics), Devin Chappell (economics), Ian Crist (economics), Rahmel Dockery (sociology), Sean Harlow (human development and family sciences), Caleb Saulo (sociology), Dustin Stanton (business administration), Noke Tago (human development and family sciences) and Sosaia Tauaho (liberal studies) are scheduled to graduate in December.

SENIOR CLASS: The Beavers are once again one of the most inexperienced teams in the country. OSU entered the season with 15 seniors on the active roster, which ranks as tied with Washington State as the second-youngest team in the Pac-12 behind USC with 14. It is tied as the 13th-fewest seniors in the nation.

FRESH FACES: So far in 2016 Oregon State coaches have called on 21 young players to make their OSU debuts. Nine true freshmen have played so far in 2016 including: QB Conor Blount, WR Trevon Bradford, LB Andrzej Hughes-Murray, OL Gus Lavaka, RB Artavis Pierce, LB Joah Robinett, K Adley Rutschman, LB Shemar Smith and LB Shemiah Unutoa-Whitson. In addition, redshirt freshmen DT Elu Aydon, WR Andre Bodden, Ol Blake Brandel, K Jordan Choukair, CB Xavier Crawford, WR Tyler DeLashmutt, S Omar Hicks-Onu, LB Hamilton Hunt, CB Jay Irvine, S Jalen Moore, CB Shawn Wilson and TE Tuli Wily-Matagi have seen playing time for the first time in their careers.

12 MORE FIRST TIMERS: Nine transfers have also been called upon to contribute including: RB Tim Cook, QB Darell Garretson, WR Timmy Hernandez, OL Brayden Kearsley, DE Phillip Napoleon, S Landry Payne, LB Wesley Payne, DT Paisa Savea and CB Kyle White. Juniors OL Sam Curtius and RB Marcus Greaves as well as sophomore OL Yanni Demogerontas have also taken their first college snaps this season bringing the grand total of 2016 first-timers to 33 players making their collegiate debut for the Beavers.

FIRST TIME STARTERS: Sixteen Oregon State players have registered the first starts of their careers. First-time starters include sophomores OL Yanni Demogerontas and LB Adam Soesman, redshirt freshmen DT Elu Aydon, OL Blake Brandel, CB Xavier Crawford, CB Jay Irvine and S Jalen Moore. True freshmen LB Andrzej Hughes-Murray, OL Gus Lavaka, RB Artavis Pierce, LB Joah Robinett and LB Shemiah Unutoa-Whitson have also made starts in 2016. Junior college transfers RB Tim Cook, WR Timmy Hernandez, DE Phillip Napoleon and DT Paisa Savea have also registered starts in recent weeks. In addition, juniors QB Darell Garretson and OL Brayden Kearsley have also made their first OSU starts. Both players had started at their previous schools, Garretson arrived at OSU with 11 starts under his belt at Utah State and Kearsley had four starts at BYU. The Beavers' five true freshmen that have started a game ranks tied for second in the nation behind only South Carolina with seven.

SCHEDULE QUIRK: The Beavers have two separate two-game stretches at Reser Stadium - one is complete (Cal and Utah) and the second closes out the season for the Beavers (Arizona and Oregon). The last time OSU played a pair of league two-game home stands in one season was 1991.

NEW HOME FOR THE BEAVS: The Valley Football Center remains a construction zone but various areas of the Victory Through Valley project have come online in recent weeks with the equipment room and loading dock area becoming fully functional, a barber shop facility in the players' lounge and a new coaches locker room opening. Just this week a new media interview and work room was completed and will be used today for the Beavers' postgame press conference for the first time. The Beavers moved into their new locker room in August. Other completed parts of the renovation include an expanded athletic medicine facility, expanded equipment operations, renovated offices for the coaching staff, and an academic/career development office. Still under construction are a football hall of fame, lobby and auditorium. For more on the $42 million project go to www.ourbeavernation.com.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE, WIN THE GAME: Over the last 158 games, Oregon State is 52-17 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, 12-44 when committing more and 16-18 when even.